Energy efficiency emphasized; electorate broadened.

Greenhouse Gases Targeted

The Secretariat of Energy (Sener) and the Latin American Organization of Energy (Olade, for its initials in Spanish) met to discuss the need to emphasize the necessity for innovative technological approaches to improve energy efficiency and reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases.

The objective of the meeting was to establish a forum to promote the clean energy generation utilizing fossil fuels, as well as to institutionalize regional collaboration between Latin American and European energy industries.

Environmental Enforcement

Environment Secretary Alberto Cardenas told congressmen that strict enforcement of and compliance with environmental regulations within the private and public sectors is fundamental to environmental protection in Mexico.

Cardenas appeared before a joint meeting of the Environment and Natural Resources, Water and Energy committees of the Chamber of Deputies. He touted the increasing number of inspections conducted by environmental authorities, along with the corresponding increase in the number of companies participating in voluntary compliance programs sponsored by the Environment Secretariat.

Modern Ports

The Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) announced that 15 maritime port authorities earned the Multi-Site Certificate for Environmental Management pursuant to the ISO-14001:1996 standard as issued by the Societe Generale de Surveillance de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

The certificates evidence that the ports have the tools necessary to efficiently identify and correct environmental impacts through the use of plans and programs designed to prevent and mitigate risks, as well as to correct inefficient practices.

With these operational plans, the probability of costly environmental accidents is reduced and, as a result, potential clean-up liability of the ports is also minimized. This certificate is standard among international maritime ports.

Vote Abroad

The Chamber of Deputies voted to allow Mexicans with a valid voter ID who live abroad to vote in the 2006 presidential election.

This voting regulation reform--subject to Senate approval and final publication in Mexico's official gazette, the Diario Oficial--will authorize voting booths located in foreign countries on a temporary basis and will be overseen by the General Council of the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE).

When finally enacted, this new law will enable the approximately 4 million Mexicans residing in the United States to vote in next year's federal election. Furthermore, it will establish a foreign elector role and will allow candidates to carry out campaign activities abroad. However, presidential campaigns will be prohibited from purchasing advertising in foreign media and will limit foreign TV and radio campaigning to ads on Mexican channels with outlets abroad.

A Silicon Valley First

The Secretariat of Economy (SE) is investing 22 million pesos to open a first-of-its-kind business accelerator office in San Jose, California. The office will support the growth of Mexican technology companies.

The new SE office--to be known as TechBa--will provide 27 companies with consulting services to support their growth and consolidation and will be located within the campus of The Enterprise Network, one of the most successful business incubator/accelerator operations in the United States. The SE notes that this is the first phase of an effort involving several secretariats and government agencies that will provide Mexican high-tech companies with assistance to break into the U.S. and international technology markets.

Open Trial

Changes to civil procedure laws in the state of Nuevo Leon paved the way for a recent public jury trial held in the city of Montemorelos. The defendant in this historic trial was charged with, and eventually convicted of, drunken driving.

The jury trial is a prominent feature of the U.S. legal system, whereas Mexico's civil law tradition focuses on judicial deliberation of attorney's documentation of facts and legal precedence in established law, without involving formal oral argument or a jury of peers from the community.

The Nuevo Leon state legislature crafted the reforms and the governor signed the bill into law. This unprecedented change in judicial operations is similar in scope to President Fox's federal judicial reform proposal. However, the state law specifically limits the right to jury to cases involving property damage or involuntary homicide.

State authorities argue that these changes will invigorate and enhance transparency in the local legal system and in court proceedings. They anticipate expanding the application of jury trials to other cases and have reported significant interest from other Mexican states.

LegalEase is compiled by Edward M. Ranger, the only U.S. environmental lawyer licensed to practice in Mexico. He can be contacted at [e-mail].